CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF RAILWAY SAFETY RELEASES RAJDHANI ACCIDENT
REPORT
The proceedings of final investigation
report into the accident of 2301 Up Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express,
which occurred near Rafiganj in Aurangabad District of Bihar on
September 9, 2002 have been published by Chief Commissioner of Railway
Safety.
In the derailment
of the Rajdhani Express between Rafiganj and Deo Road Stations
on broad gauge double line electrified section on Gaya-Mughalsarai
section of Mughalsarai Division of Eastern Railway, 108 passengers
lost their lives.
Commissioner of Railway
Safety (CRS), Eastern Circle, who investigated into the accident,
concluded that the mishap occurred due to an act of sabotage,
as the train got derailed by opening of fishplates and elastic
rail clips of the cess side single rail in Howrah end approach
of bridge No.445 by some miscreants. Chief Commissioner of Railway
Safety (CCRS) ratified the cause, which has also been accepted
by the Railway Board. The report has put the 'primary responsibility'
of the derailment on unknown/unidentified persons and ascribed
the 'secondary responsibility' on law and order enforcing agencies.
CRS, Eastern Circle
had submitted his final report on November 7, 2002. In his preliminary
report also, the cause of the accident was concluded as 'sabotage'.
The final report submitted by CRS, Eastern Circle was handed over
to the Police authorities of the district in the month of February,
2003 by General Manager, Eastern Railway.
Chief Commissioner
of Railway Safety, after scrutinising CRS's final report, put
the 'blameworthy' responsibility on security and engineering departments
of Eastern Railway and Mughalsarai Division for not taking preventive
measures in miscreant prone areas, as also on two gangmen of Mughalsarai
Division, who were on patrol duty on the night of the accident,
and Track Directorate of RDSO for delay in development of anti-sabotage
fastenings on the track. However, CCRS exonerated 3 engineering
officials and finance wing of the Division from the 'blameworthy'
responsibility, as finalised by CRS. Railway Board has accepted
the conclusions of CCRS, excepting his views on the responsibility
of RDSO in view of the fact that constant efforts have been made
by RDSO to evolve a suitable design, which may permit easy maintainability,
but simultaneously prevent tampering with track by miscreants.
In his final note
to the Ministry of Railways, CCRS recommended publication of the
inquiry report. This was supported by the Railway Board. Since
the issuance of Office Memorandum by the Ministry of Railways
on the said report in December, 2002, signifying culmination of
the proceedings, the Ministry have been seeking early publication
of the full report in view of the demands made by travelling public
and peoples representatives in various fora.
The Commission has
made in all 26 recommendations to the Ministry of Railways in
the report. They primarily relate to security patrolling in miscreant/sabotage
prone sections, development of anti-sabotage design of fittings
on concrete sleepers, elimination of single-cut rails and buffer
rails on certain locations, emergency lights and emergency exits
in coaches, objective evaluation of riding quality of coaches
on high speed trains, evolving alternative for dashpot oil arrangement,
modification in track structure on bridges with open deck, renewal
of bridge sleepers, provision of faster communication at accident
site, provision of mobile phones to CRSs etc.
It may be recollected
that in any accident inquiry report, CRS does not confine to his
findings of the cause and responsibility of the particular accident.
He makes many recommendations, which are not directly related
to the cause or circumstances leading to that accident, but come
to light during the inquiry process. Most of his recommendations
are accepted and implemented by the railways.
In this accident
too, Railway Board have accepted almost all the recommendations
made by the Commission and has also started their implementation
with necessary directions to Zonal Railways.
